The Howling

Chapter Ten

        The fighting ended soon after. Villette never actually saw it end. She still faced the wall, where moments ago, Neil and Matilda had been standing under the looming figure of the demon. But she heard it. She heard the roaring flames suddenly dissipate. The sound of sloshing water stopped. Even the grunting and the yelling as punches flew and connected ended. 

        For the longest second of her life, a silence descended. Everything was still. Not calm, but noiseless. 

        And then she heard Reinard running, his feet splashing in the water as he hurried towards her. "Villette! Are you harmed? Villette, where are the children?" 

        She couldn't look at him. "Gone," she mumbled numbly. "The demons took them." 

        Al was running too. His footsteps clanked with each step. He, at least, didn't say anything as he dropped down to one knee beside Villette. She could almost feel his gaze moving over her, checking for any damage that might have occurred in his absence. He was more concerned for her wellbeing than that of the children. A spark of fury blazed in her gut at the thought and she pulled away from his touch as he reached out towards her.  

        "What do you mean gone?" Reinard asked. 

        She looked up at him then. He stood close by but he wasn't looking at her. He scanned the store, as if expecting to see Neil and Matilda step out from behind an overturned rack of clothes or a cluster of mannequins. 

        She was mad at herself for being unable to stop it. Mad at Al for being more concerned for her wellbeing than the children who had just been taken. Mad at Reinard for not finishing up with those demons sooner. She was mad at everything. 

        But just as suddenly as the anger had appeared, it died. Weariness overtook her instead. How could they have thought they would win? How had she thought that she, a mouse, could stand up against giants to rescue her brother? He was gone. She needed to accept that. After all, if they were unable to protect two children from a horde of demons, what made her think they would be able to take back her brother from the magician they worked for? 

        No. She shook her head once, banishing those thoughts. Negativity wasn't going to help. Wallowing in self-pity would do nothing for her brother. She would not be deterred. She was going to take him back, regardless of how many demons or magicians stood in her way. 

        She rose shakily to her feet, this time allowing Al to help her. "Gone," she replied as he still glanced around, searching for Neil and Matilda. "The poppets are gone. They've taken the poppets to Eisen's Guard."  

        Reinard continued looking around. "Gone," he breathed, looking troubled. Then anger flared in his eyes. "Of course. How stupid! The demons were only meant as a distraction." 

        "Nice thinking, detective." 

        Reinard ignored her, sliding his tome back into his jacket pocket. He patted it unconsciously as he survey the department store. "I had thought...I suppose it doesn't matter now, but I had allowed my pride to cloud my judgment." 

        "Pride?" Villette asked. 

        He looked sheepish as he answered, his anger disappearing as quickly as hers had. "Yes. I had thought he sent the demons to deal with us, or rather, with me. I had allowed myself to believe that Eisen viewed me as a threat that needed to be eliminated. It never even crossed my mind that he might be using the demons as a distraction while another stole the children away."